HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-PLED-2018-09-13
Approved at the
October 10, 2018 PEDC Meeting
City of Ithaca
Planning & Economic Development Committee
Wednesday, September 12, 2018 – 6:00 p.m.
Common Council Chambers, City Hall, 108 East Green Street
Minutes
Committee Members Attending: Joseph (Seph) Murtagh, Chair; Cynthia Brock,
Donna Fleming, Stephen Smith, and Laura
Lewis
Committee Members Absent: None
Other Elected Officials Attending: Mayor Svante Myrick and Alderperson Graham
Kerslick
Staff Attending: JoAnn Cornish, Director, Planning and
Development Department; Lisa Nicholas,
Deputy Director, Planning and Development
Department; and Deborah Grunder, Executive
Assistant
Others Attending: Trowbridge and Wolfe Associates
Chair Seph Murtagh called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
1) Call to Order/Agenda Review
Public Comment was done before the presentation.
2) Special Order of Business
a) Presentation – Cornell University – North Campus Residential Expansion
Katherine Wolfe and Kim Michaels presented the report of the North Campus
Residential Expansion project and answered questions of the committee.
3) Public Comment
Mitchell (Buzz) Lavine, 719 Ringwood Road. What is methane and why is it so
important to this Cornell project. His complete comments are attached.
Approved at the
October 10, 2018 PEDC Meeting
Claudia Jenkins, West Green Street, spoke on the chicken ordinance and the
regulations. She described the current situation she is dealing with. Her current
neighbor is raising chickens and they are three feet away from her property. The
smell is terrible. She feels the space is too small for this number of chickens and
asked what she can do to remedy the situation.
Charles Geisler, 517 Ellis Hollow Road, spoke on Cornell’s energy diet. He
referenced a 2016 report that stated such a diet. He further stated that Cornell has
stopped this diet.
Susan Nassar, 208 Lake Avenue, is a 30+ years Ithaca resident and a member of
Reluctant Environmentalists (Facebook page). She spoke on the future of
planning within the City. Green infrastructure is used all over the world. Not here
in Ithaca? Why hasn’t the City started to use the State SEQR forms in 2012? We
need an environmental review as to what has been built and a full accounting from
the City. We need to act now.
Sarah Hess, 124 Westfield Drive, spoke on the Cornell north campus dormitory
project. The old coal power plant was switched. Now drilling, etc. has taken its
place. This is far worse. Should Cornell be held to a higher standard than the
TCTC or others, etc.? Yes, they should. They need to be accountable for their
answers to the gas emissions.
Ken Jaffer, 218 Lake Avenue, spoke on the change to the SEQR/CEQR Forms.
He thanked the City for agreeing to use the SEQR forms. He suggested that the
resolution provided in the packet be looked at again.
Brian Eden, 147 N. Sunset Drive, spoke on his concerns with the North Campus
project.
Ashley Miller, 126 Sears Street, spoke on signal family occupancies. A home was
recently sold out from under a family with three children by paying $60,000 more
for the property, and it will be turned into rental property.
Guillermo Metz, 103 Durfee Hill Road, spoke on Cornell’s North Campus
Development.
Joe Wilson, 75 Hunt Hill Road, Dryden, provided a memorandum outlining a
number of concerns he and a group of residents have determined. The City must
follow the steps methodically. They can be sued it they do not do so.
Elmer Ewing, 1520 Slaterville Road. He is a member of the 17 members of the
group Joe Wilson spoke of. He reiterated Mr. Wilson’s comments.
Margaret McCasland, 202-7 Cypress Court, spoke on Cornell’s North Campus
Project. Cornell as well as the City of Ithaca need to step up and do what is good
for our environment.
Approved at the
October 10, 2018 PEDC Meeting
Jenny Xie, 418 Eddy Street, #5, is a senior at Cornell. She asks that Cornell
rethink their current project. The answers they have given are not accurate. When
Cornell asked the student population for their opinion, the students were not given
the adequate information.
Alderperson Brock responded to the chicken complaints that were made tonight.
She stated that the office to address her concerns to the City Clerk’s Office.
Chair Murtagh also thanked Claudia for her comments regarding the chickens next
to her property. He visited the site. Something needs to be done.
4) Announcements, Updates, and Reports
There were no announcements, updates or reports.
5) Action Items (Voting to Send on to Council)
a) Waterfront Zoning Changes (lead agency, environmental significance)
An Ordinance Amending the Municipal Code of the City Of Ithaca, Chapter 325,
Entitled “Zoning” To Make Minor Corrections to the Waterfront Zoning Districts ―
Declaration of Lead Agency
Moved by Alderperson Brock; seconded by Alderperson Smith. Carri ed
Unanimously.
WHEREAS, State Law and Section 176-6 of the City Code require that a lead agency
be established for conducting environmental review of projects in accordance with local
and state environmental law, and
WHEREAS, State Law specifies that, for actions governed by local environmental
review, the lead agency shall be that local agency which has primary responsibility for
approving and funding or carrying out the action, and
WHEREAS, the proposed zoning amendment is a “TYPE I” Action pursuant to the City
Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) Ordinance, which requires environmental
review; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Common Council of the City of Ithaca does hereby declare itself
lead agency for the environmental review of the proposed minor corrections to the
Waterfront Zoning Districts.
Approved at the
October 10, 2018 PEDC Meeting
An Ordinance Amending the Municipal Code of the City Of Ithaca, Chapter 325,
Entitled “Zoning” To Make Minor Corrections to the Waterfront Zoning Districts ―
Declaration of Environmental Significance
Moved by Alderperson Lewis; seconded by Alderperson Brock. Carried
unanimously.
1. WHEREAS, on August 2, 2017, the Common Council established four new
zoning districts for the Waterfront Study Area, the Newman, th e Market, The
West End/Waterfront, and the Cherry Street Districts, and, and
2. WHEREAS, the Common Council is now considering adopting some minor
changes and corrections to the waterfront districts that could improve the
implementation of the zoning and allow for the type of development that was
anticipated when the zoning was adopted and
3. WHEREAS, the appropriate environmental review has been conducted, including
the preparation of a Short Environmental Assessment Form (SEAF), dated May
21, 2018, and
4. WHEREAS, the proposed action is a “unlisted” Action under the City
Environmental Quality Review Ordinance, and
5. WHEREAS, the Common Council of the City of Ithaca, acting as lead agency,
has reviewed the SEAF prepared by planning staff; now, therefore, be it
1. RESOLVED, that this Common Council, as lead agency in this matter, hereby
adopts as its own the findings and conclusions more fully set forth on the Short
Environmental Assessment Form, dated May 21, 2018, and be it further
2. RESOLVED, that this Common Council, as lead agency in this matter, hereby
determines that the proposed action at issue will not have a significant effect on
the environment, and that further environmental review is unnecessary, and be it
further
3. RESOLVED, that this resolution constitutes notice of this negative declaration
and that the City Clerk is hereby directed to file a copy of the same, together with
any attachments, in the City Clerk’s Office, and forward the same to any ot her
parties as required by law.
Approved at the
October 10, 2018 PEDC Meeting
Modification to City/State Environmental Quality Review Forms
(CEQR/SEQR)
Moved by Alderperson Brock; seconded by Alderperson Smith. Carried
unanimously.
Planning and Economic Development Committee Resolution to Modify the City’s Model Full
and Short Environmental Assessment Forms (FEAF and SEAF) to be the Model NYS DEC’s
FEAF & SEAF
September 12, 2018
WHEREAS, §617.3 General Rules of the NYS Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) states
that “No agency involved in an action may undertake, fund or approve the action until it has complied
with the provisions of SEQR” and
WHEREAS, the City of Ithaca has a local Environmental Quality Review Ordinance (CEQR) §176 of
the City Code, and
WHEREAS, both SEQR and CEQR define Environmental Assessment Forms (EAFs) as “A form
used by an agency to assist it in determining the environmental significance or non -significance of an
action. A properly completed EAF shall contain enough information to describe the proposed action,
its location, its purpose and its potential impacts on the environment”, and
WHEREAS, although the State has model EAF forms, the City of Ithaca has long used local EAF
forms to conduct environmental review, and
WHEREAS, CEQR also states that the model forms “may be modified by the Common Council to
better serve it in implementing CEQR, provided that the scope of the modified form is as
comprehensive as the model”, and
WHEREAS, it has been determined that the State model EAF forms would better serve the City in
implementing CEQR, now therefore be it
RESLOVED, that the Common Council does herby modify the City’s model EAF forms to be one
and the same as the New York State model forms, and be it further
RESLOVED that the CEQR thresholds for Unlisted and Type 1 Actions remain the same and be it
further
RESOLVED, that the current model forms contained in Appendices A and C as referenced in §176.2
of the City Environmental Quality Review Ordinance be replaced with the State forms.
b) Comprehensive Plan, Phase II
Approved at the
October 10, 2018 PEDC Meeting
Selection of Next Plans for Phase II of the City of Ithaca Comprehensive Plan
WHEREAS, the Comprehensive Plan outlines a vision for the city’s future and serves as
a guide for future decision-making, policies, and funding, and
WHEREAS, the City decided to pursue a two-phased approach to its new
Comprehensive Plan, where Phase I entailed the preparation of an “umbrella” plan, Plan
Ithaca, that sets forth broad goals and principles to guide future policies throughout the
city and where Phase II includes the preparation of specific neighborhood and thematic
plans, and
WHEREAS, the Phase II plans provide an opportunity to take a proactive look at
specific areas throughout the city, particularly those with significant potential for change,
and to implement policies and capital improvements to help implement a shared vision,
and
WHEREAS, the Parks and Recreation Master Plan was adopted as the first Phase II plan
in June 2018, and work on the Waterfront and Southside area plans is nearing
completion, and
WHEREAS, staff is beginning to prepare for the next plans to be completed as part of
Phase II, with work intended to begin in the first quarter of 2019, and would like to
identify Common Council’s priorities for the upcoming planning initiatives; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Common Council selects housing strategies and
_______________ as the next area plans to be completed as part of Phase II of the
Comprehensive Plan.
Staff requested which area plans should be looked at and in what order.
Chair Murtagh recommended that in Plan #3, Fall Creek be taken out as a
separate plan.
Alderperson Fleming would like to review #9, Southwest-Spencer Road, and #6,
South Hill.
Alderperson Smith would like to review Plan # 4 (West End-West State Street)
and #9 (Southwest-Spencer Road) are high on his list. He would like to steer
clear of # 6, South Hill, due to the recent uproar in that area as of late.
Alderperson Lewis would like to review Plan #4 (West End-West State Street)
and then Plan #6 (South Hill).
Alderperson Brock would like to review South West--Spencer Road.
Chair Murtagh would like to review South Hill, and the West End
Approved at the
October 10, 2018 PEDC Meeting
Alderperson Brock talked about the need to look at the Air B&B and how
prevalent they are in the City.
The consensus was a housing strategies in the neighborhoods. South Hill,
West End, and South West.
Infill and Air B&B are top on the list of topics to review. This will be a review
city wide.
First priority is housing strategy and West End second.
Staff will develop a housing strategy and bring it back next month.
6) Discussion
a) Chainworks Area Requirements
The group was in agreement that the changes or edits discussed at this meeting
will be brought back next month as well as the design guidelines.
7) Review and Approval of Minutes
a) August 2018
Moved by Alderperson Smith seconded by Alderperson Brock. Carried
unanimously as amended.
8) Adjournment
Moved by Alderperson Smith; seconded by Alderperson Lewis. Carried
unanimously. The meeting was adjourned at 9:16 p.m.